No Resurrections this time
by saltyolives
Summary: In which Goku and Gohan go to Vormir to get the Soul Stone.


Infinity War/Endgame + DBZ AU

"It's just us again, isn't it, son? You and I, facing the wide world, to get the Soul Stone!" Goku said as they trekked through the damp snow. Gohan nodded grimly.

"I hope the others can get the other Infinity Stones. We can't mess this one up," he said.

Goku smiled widely and patted Gohan on the back. "I trust them! I'm sure they'll all get the job done. Besides, you and I have a job of our own to do." They reached the foot of the cliff. They flew their way up, the wintry air biting at Gohan's eyes. He had a dropping feeling in his stomach as they rose. He resisted it.

"Here we are…" Goku sighed. Gohan looked out at the horizon. The sun was rising.

"Where's the stone…?" Gohan suddenly tensed. Goku did the same. An unfamiliar chi.

"Do you feel that?" Gohan asked. They both looked behind them. There was a figure wearing a cloak, draping the person in shadow.

"Um, hello!" Goku greeted the figure. "We were told that this was the destination for the Soul Stone. Do you happen to know where it is?"

The figure remained draped. It began to speak.

"To retrieve what you seek...a sacrifice will be made."

"What?" Goku chuckled uneasily. "What do you mean?"

"A soul for a soul…One you hold dear..." it rasped. Gohan suddenly found it very difficult to swallow. He looked back over the cliff. There was a platform at the very bottom. He gasped for air.

"Dad…"

"What is he talking about? A soul for a soul?" Goku cocked his head. "What does that mean?"

"Dad."

Goku looked at Gohan. "What is it?'

"I think…" Goku followed Gohan and looked over the cliff. "One of us has to sacri-sacrifice ourselves."

"Oh."

They stood there in silence. Goku then exclaimed, "I got it!"

Gohan looked at his father expectantly.

"One of us sacrifices themselves, and then once we get the Dragonballs together, we just ask Sheron to bring one of us back to life!"

"No, Dad. We already know that those taken by an Infinity Stone...Don't come back." Gohan sighed. Goku's face fell.

"Well, I suppose it's easy to decide who." Goku began to take his jacket off. Gohan pulled him back in alarm.

"Dad, no! You can't!"

"Well, I can't just let you die! Earth has many protectors now, I'm sure you'll manage without me!"

"No!" Gohan tackled his father from the edge. "I'm going, Dad. I'll do it."

Goku threw Gohan into the ground. He prepared for a running start when Gohan tackled him again, throwing the two of them back. Gohan then ran for the edge when Goku caught him.

"No! I'm not letting you die like this, Gohan!"

"Dad, it's okay! You shouldn't die here!"

Back and forth they went, fighting hand to hand. They paused for a moment. Goku was despair-stricken.

"Why? Why do you want to go like this, Gohan? This should be an easy choice!"

Gohan wiped the blood from his lip. "Because, Dad. I think… I think this is what I'm meant to do."

"What are you talking abo-"

"Look at me, Dad! I'm weak! What am I...a, a scholar?! There's nothing I can do to help you in the final battle! The world needs you, Dad. They don't need me. Heck, you don't even need me! Besides, if you lose me, at least you'll have another son to look after, right? Someone who actually likes fighting!" Tears were streaks down his face. "Right? I'm right, right?"

"No! That's not true at all-"

"I've been weak from the beginning, Dad! Always having to stand by while you died or-or you were hurt or fighting. I've never helped you, when Goten's helped you a ton already."

"Son Gohan, that is not true at all!" Goku grabbed Goten by the shoulders and shook him back and forth. "You're stronger than any of the Saiyans! You're stronger because you end the fights, not start them! You end the fighting!"

"No, Dad. You end the fights. What do I do? I just get hurt and end up as a bigger burden on the rest of you. It might have been different when I was younger, but not anymore. I don't know what's changed, but it has. And I don't know how to get out. So let me do this, Dad. Please? I want to help you end the fight."

For a second, Goku faltered. And in that second, Gohan found an opening.

"Solar Flare!" he shouted, and the great Saiyan was blinded for a short moment. Gohan dove off the edge of the cliff.

Goku caught his hand at the last minute.

Goku, prostrate on the ground, had his hand outstretched and clasping his son's hand. He tried to use his energy to pull Gohan back up, but the air around the edge of the cliff sucked it out of him. It took all he could to keep Gohan from falling to his death.

"Gohan...Don't do this! Let me do this, Gohan. I can't have you die!"

"Dad, you were resurrected just a few days ago. And we need to get this Soul Stone! The rest of the world depends on it," Gohan said. "You need to win, Dad. For me. Okay?'

"No no no no no no! Don't talk like you're already dead! We can… we can find a way. The Dragonballs. They'll have to work!" Goku blinked furiously, tears blurring his vision.

"No resurrections this time." Gohan mustered a shaky smile. "Tell Mom I love her. Goten too. And–and Videl. Tell her that it's been...good." He let his hand go and flew to his death.

"Gohan!" Goku screamed. Gohan's body was broken, laying on the platform as if he were asleep. "Gohan…" Goku clenched his fist and let his rm hang over the edge. A blinding white light overwhelmed him.

Goku woke up in a shallow pool. He sat up urgently, looking for his son. As he began to stand up, he felt something in his hand. He held it up to see. The Soul Stone, about the size of an egg, was sitting in Goku's hand.

"No…" Goku whispered. His head whipped around, looking for Gohan. He finally spotted a four-year old Gohan, standing in the pool. Goku ran toward him and embraced Gohan, with his yellow and green outfit and fluffy tail.

"Gohan-I-You damn idiot," he whispered in Gohan's ear. He cradled him in his arms. "I never even got to say that I loved you."

"You're back!" Chi-Chi stood up from her seat as she saw Goku walk down the steps of the time machine. The rest of the group was already there, chatting and theorizing. "How did it go? Did you get it? Where's Gohan?"

Goku hung his head. He clenched the Soul Stone in his hand to the point of breaking it. Chi-Chi repeated, "Where's Gohan? Son Goku, you tell me where Gohan is right now!"

Goku began to cry. Big, heaving sobs. The room fell silent. Never had they seen the Great Saiyan cry like this before. Videl broke her way out of the crowd, her eyes wide with alarm.

"Gohan? Gohan is…" the realization swept over her. She screamed.

No resurrections this time.


End file.
